# Proposal: "Distro Packagers" category
**URL:** https://racket.discourse.group/t/proposal-distro-packagers-category/2477
**Category:** Site Feedback
**Created:** [November 8, 2023, 3:04am UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/proposal-distro-packagers-category/2477 "2023-11-08T03:04:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@LiberalArtist](https://racket.discourse.group/u/LiberalArtist)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2023, 3:04am UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/proposal-distro-packagers-category/2477/1 "2023-11-08T03:04:20Z")
I'd like to propose creating a Discourse category for "Distro Packagers" (or "Distro Package Maintainers"? bikesheding welcome). My understanding from [Create a category in Discourse - admins - Discourse Meta](https://meta.discourse.org/t/create-a-category-in-discourse/197224) is that categories (by default) can only be created by admin users, which is why I'm asking. I have only a superficial understanding of the pros and cons of Discourse "categories" vs. "tags": the main advantage of a category seems to be that it's more discoverable.
I like the word "distro" as defined by [PEP 668 – Marking Python base environments as “externally managed” | peps.python.org](https://peps.python.org/pep-0668/#terminology) to encompass GNU/Linux distributions, the BSDs, Homebrew, Flatpak, and other downstream distributors of software that might package Racket.
At least one or two other distro packagers have thought it would be useful to have a communication channel like this. Occasionally there are topics particularly relevant to distro packagers, especially when we exercise certain corners of the build system, as in this topic:
> [@Racket distro packagers: please try building from a snapshot](https://racket.discourse.group/t/racket-distro-packagers-please-try-building-from-a-snapshot/1063):
>
> This request is for anyone who packages the Racket implementation for installation by an OS package manager (as opposed to people who manage Racket packages in the sense of raco pkg). The upcoming v8.6 release will include an overhaul of the Racket build scripts. The intent is that configure and make work just as before, and we've tested on many platforms and configurations, but there's a good chance that there are still some problems. It would be better to discover lingering problems before th…
I'd suggest starting the topic with a thread for distro packagers to introduce ourselves. I also anticipate having a more specific question relatively soon.
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### Author:  [@LiberalArtist](https://racket.discourse.group/u/LiberalArtist)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2023, 3:18pm UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/proposal-distro-packagers-category/2477/2 "2023-11-09T15:18:20Z")
@spdegabrielle, I think I'd mentioned this to you at one point.
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### Author:  [@LiberalArtist](https://racket.discourse.group/u/LiberalArtist)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2023, 3:20pm UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/proposal-distro-packagers-category/2477/3 "2023-11-09T15:20:57Z")
It looks like categories can have hierarchy: it might or might not make sense to make "Distro Packagers" a child of "Internals".
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### Author:  [@spdegabrielle](https://racket.discourse.group/u/spdegabrielle)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2023, 3:32pm UTC](https://racket.discourse.group/t/proposal-distro-packagers-category/2477/4 "2023-11-09T15:32:53Z")
Thank you!
This is a brilliant idea!
> **[Distro Packagers](https://racket.discourse.group/c/distro-packagers/14)**
Can you make a welcome post to replace the placeholder?